Labor Laws & Money Blog

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $1 million in grant funding to support disaster-relief jobs and employment and training services for Washington residents in response to ongoing severe storms and flooding. Beginning Dec. 9, 2025, an atmospheric river caused severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in the Pacific Northwest, particularly western Washington. The sustained impacts of the disaster include levee erosion and failure risks, dam emergency action plan activations, flooded homes and businesses, evacuations, sheltering operations, agricultural damage, and extensive local road closures.The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued an emergency declaration for the storms, enabling Washington to request federal assistance. This award will support recovery efforts in Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Yakima counties, as well as federally recognized tribal communities within the disaster area. This Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant allows the Washington State Department of Employment Security to provide people with temporary jobs focused on cleanup and recovery efforts, as well as support employment and training services to eligible community members.Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide a state or local board with funding for direct services and assistance in areas experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources.

In the week ending January 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 200,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 198,000 to 199,000. The 4-week moving average was 201,500, a decrease of 3,750 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since January 13, 2024 when it was 200,000. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 205,000 to 205,250.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer continued her nationwide “America at Work” listening tour this week, visiting West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.“At the Department of Labor, we are committed to putting American Workers First by providing pathways to mortgage-paying jobs and ensuring everyone comes home safely at the end of the day,” Secretary Chavez-DeRemer said. “I enjoyed sharing that commitment with workers in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee this week, where I also learned more about how the department can help address workplace challenges so employers and employees can better provide for themselves and their families.”West VirginiaOn Monday, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer visited Appalachian Power’s John E. Amos plant in Charleston, West Virginia, a three-unit coal-fired power plant owned and operated by Appalachian Power. The day began with a sit-down meeting where the Secretary was briefed on the operations, growth, and safety. They discussed how the Trump Administration’s pro-coal and pro-worker policies have positively impacted hardworking families across the region. Following the conversation, the Secretary toured the power plant and spoke with workers who help meet the growing electricity demand of the region. The employees underscored the importance of safety in the industry and supported her push for alternative routes to the labor force outside of four-year degrees. Kentucky Secretary Chavez-DeRemer then traveled to Lexington, Kentucky for a tour of the historic Keeneland facility. The Secretary was joined by her former colleague Rep. Andy Barr, as they walked the grounds of the National Historic Landmark. They later engaged with local officials and Keeneland leadership in a roundtable discussion about the horseracing industry with a special focus on its labor component.The tour demonstrated how the multibillion-dollar horseracing industry has been a boon for Kentucky and remains a staple for both their economic output and job market. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer and Rep. Barr reinforced their commitment to collaborate at all levels of government to support the important industry and its workers.TennesseeWrapping up the week with a visit to her 44th state, the Secretary was welcomed by the Tennessee Valley Authority to their Cumberland Fossil Plant. She joined their leadership to witness an immersive AI presentation which highlighted the company’s focus on innovation and unleashing the full potential of the American Worker. Throughout the tour, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer spoke with TVA employees and union leaders, underscoring her mission at the Labor Department to improve the lives of both workers and their families. She reiterated her directive from President Trump to reach 1 million active apprentices nationwide and shared a progress report of having reached approximately 318,000 apprentices since January 2025. The Secretary’s visit concluded with an opportunity to engage with the workers who were preparing for an impending snowstorm in the region; she thanked them for their tireless efforts to provide power for families and support for communities.

WASHINGTON − The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will hold a free virtual seminar about the recently relaunched Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, which provides employers the opportunity to self-identify and resolve potential minimum wage, overtime, and leave violations under federal labor laws.The seminar will include a panel discussion with regional and national experts from the department’s Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Solicitor. The experts will provide an overview of the PAID program and answer questions.Who:               U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour DivisionWhat:             Virtual seminar on the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program When:             Jan. 22, 2026, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CST     Where:           Online event. Registration is required.Originally launched in 2018, PAID has new enhancements, resources, and tools. The program has several of the same objectives as before, including resolving wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and now has expanded to include the Family and Medical Leave Act. PAID assists employers seeking to correct violations efficiently and without any litigation costs, improve compliance, and ensure employees receive FLSA back wages and FMLA remedies quickly.

WASHINGTON − The U.S. Department of Labor today announced it will hold a free virtual seminar about the recently relaunched Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, which provides employers the opportunity to self-identify and resolve potential minimum wage, overtime, and leave violations under federal labor laws.The seminar will include a panel discussion with regional and national experts from the department’s Wage and Hour Division and Office of the Solicitor. The experts will provide an overview of the PAID program and answer questions.Who:               U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour DivisionWhat:             Virtual seminar on the Payroll Audit Independent Determination program When:             Jan. 22, 2026, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. CST     Where:           Online event. Registration is required.Originally launched in 2018, PAID has new enhancements, resources, and tools. The program has several of the same objectives as before, including resolving wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and now has expanded to include the Family and Medical Leave Act. PAID assists employers seeking to correct violations efficiently and without any litigation costs, improve compliance, and ensure employees receive FLSA back wages and FMLA remedies quickly.